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Hello All,
I have been hard at work updating my online content. It has been a lot of work. I am taking a break from publishing desserts and high calorie treats. For the next few months I will be focusing on healthier options, and incorporate a little bit of my workout information as well. For the next few months it is all going to be about good sources of protein, portion size, and nutrition.

If there is anything in particular you would like me to make, send me an email.

I often wondered what was the connection between Easter Rabbits and Eggs. Rabbits do not lay eggs.Rabbits and Eggs are fertility symbols. Rabbits were once believed to be hermaphrodites and it was also believed they could reproduce without sex. Birds lay eggs and rabbits give birth in large litters in early spring, the two became symbols of rising fertility of the earth at the March Equinox.Ēostre or Ostara (NorthumbrianOld English: Ēostre; West Saxon Old English: Ēastre; Old High German: *Ôstara) is a goddess in Germanic paganismwho, by way of the Germanic month bearing her name is the namesake of the festival of Easter.The fertility symbols (rabbit, egg), the word Ēostre ( sounds a lot like Easter doesn't it), were incorporated into Christianity. I could care less. It is a lovely holiday. There are not nearly enough holidays in the spring. Lets take a look at some public domain Easter cake and cupcake images. Maybe they will inspire you to make a cake at home this year.

Today I am making a Classic Chocolate Cake for the Children's Therapy Center and Dynamic Partners 23rd annual charity event. I am donating this dessert, on behalf of Seattle Soap Company, for their dessert rush auction.

Each table will donate money to the charity, the tables that donate the most get to choose the most desirable cake. My goal is to make my cake as desirable .. as possible. Nobody can see inside the cake, desirably is all in the decoration.

I had a bit of a mishap when making this cake, I only had 1/3 cup white sugar. I substituted the rest with brown sugar. White sugar is considered a 'liquid' when baking because it melts quickly. Dark brown sugar is different in that it contains 6.5% molasses, the molasses is what gives it the brown color. The presence of molasses will change the baking chemistry. When brown sugar melts in the batter, it becomes a liquid in its own right, of sugar and molasses.

To make the swap balance itself out, reduce the water content of the recipe. If you swap 1 cup white sugar for 1 cup brown sugar, reduce other liquid by 3 tablespoons. I reduced the milk content of my recipe just a tad.

Brown sugar is used for heavier, richer recipes and will impart its own flavor. I tasted the batter before putting it in the oven. It tasted delicious to me.

DECORATING THE FINAL PRODUCT

This is the fun part!

UPDATE

Children's Therapy and Dynamic Partners made $11,000 from the cake rush this year! Yeah!

I
made this dessert for my family in Mexico City. A word of caution – be careful choosing
your food color. I bought my food coloring for this cake at a store in Mexico.
Everyone who ate the cake said that they had ‘caca roja’. Since this is a food
blog, I am not going to discuss that too much.

One
of the things I love the most about making desserts is that people really
appreciate them. There is nothing more wonderful than presenting a beautiful
pastry to your friends and family. Of all the things we cook for others, I find
that desserts get the most appreciation.

Combine
the buttermilk, salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream
together the shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in
the eggs one at a time, then stir in the cocoa mixture. Beat in the buttermilk
mixture alternately with the flour, mixing just until incorporated. Stir
together baking soda and vinegar, then gently fold into the cake batter.

Pour
batter into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until
a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool
completely before frosting. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To
Make Icing: In a saucepan, combine the milk and 5 tablespoons flour. Cook over
low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Set aside to cool
completely. Cream together butter, 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until
light and fluffy, then stir in the cooled milk and flour mixture, beating until
icing reaches spreading consistency.